Analyst Upgrades

• Verisk (VRSK) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.
• Marriott (MAR) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Bernstein.
• Jefferies upgraded Teekay (TK) and Tsakos Energy (TNP) to Buy from Hold.
• Cadence Design (CDNS) was upgraded to sector perform from underperform at RBC Capital.
• BofA/Merrill upgraded NV Energy (NVE) to buy from underperform and Education Realty Trust (EDR) to neutral from underperform.
• Men's Wearhouse (MW) was upgraded to buy from hold at Stifel.
• William Blair upgraded Atheros (ATHR) to outperform from market perform.
• Freeport McMoran (FCX) was upgraded to buy from hold at Argus.

Analyst Upgrades

• Wells Fargo upgraded PG&E (PCG) to outperform from market perform and raised its range for shares to $50 to $52 from $44 to $46, citing the proposed settlement in the company's 2011 General Rate Case.
• Jefferies upgraded Huntsman (HUN) to buy from hold and raised its price target for shares to $17 from $12, citing valuation and the likelihood for favorable earnings revisions.
• RBC Capital upgraded Jack in the Box (JACK) to outperform from sector perform with a $28 target, citing checks showing improved fast food sales in recent months and easy comps.
• Sonic (SONC) was upgraded to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital and $12 price target.
• Synaptics (SYNA) was upgraded to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan and $40 price target.
• Excel Maritime (EXM) was upgraded to buy from hold at Cantor and raised its price target to $7 from $5.

"We discriminate among investments primarily by their relative valuation metrics; we buy only those stocks we find undervalued relative to their own trading history, their peers or that of the market in general," says value investor John Buckingham.

The editor of The Prudent Speculator explains, "Two such buys are Marathon Oil (MRO) and Tsakos Energy Navigation (TNP).

"Both stocks could be chosen as part of the foundation of a portfolio for new investors or for those seeking to diversify their holdings.

For 25 years, Steven Halpern, editor of TheStockAdvisors.com, has surveyed the leading financial newsletter advisors asking for their favorite stocks for the coming year. This article is one of 100+ ideas in the Best Stocks for 2008 report.

"Tsakos Energy Navigation Ltd. (NYSE: TNP) is my top pick for 2008 -- a stock for more conservative investors," says Neil Macneale, editor of 2-for-1, a newsletter that chooses its portfolio candidates exclusively from stocks that have just announced splits.

" (NYSE: ) is my top pick for 2008 -- a stock for more conservative investors," says , editor of , a newsletter that chooses its portfolio candidates exclusively from stocks that have just announced splits.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Netflix, Inc (NFLX), Blockbuster Inc (BBI), The Mosaic Company (MOS) and Domino's Pizza, Inc (DPZ) were some of today's noteworthy downgrades:

• First Albany cut Netflix Inc (NASDAQ: NFLX) to Neutral from Buy to reflect weak industry subscriber additions.

• Blockbuster Inc (NYSE: BBI) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Soleil.

• Citigroup cut The Mosaic Company (NYSE: MOS) to Sell from Hold on expectations for a sharp DAP price decline and valuation.

• Domino's Pizza Inc (NYSE: DPZ) was downgraded to Peer Perform from Outperform at Bear Stearns, citing valuation.

OTHER DOWNGRADES:

• Merrill Lynch downgrade BP Plc (NYSE: BP) to Neutral from Buy on valuation.

• Smith Micro Software, Inc (NASDAQ: SMSI) was cut to Hold from Buy with a $21 target.

• Pacific Crest downgraded Linear Technology Corp (NASDAQ: LLTC) to Sector Perform from Outperform based on secular headwinds and an increase in DOI to 82 days.

• Tsakos Energy Navigation Ltd (NYSE: TNP) was downgraded to Sell from Hold at Citigroup on valuation.

• Piper Jaffray downgraded Compuware Corp (NASDAQ: CPWR) to Market Perform from Outperform following the disappointing Q4 guidance.

• Brean Murray downgraded Komag, Inc (NASDAQ: KOMG) to Hold from Buy.

Analyst summaries provided by TheFlyOnTheWall.com (subscription required).

Barron's interview this weekend was with John Buckingham [subscription], portfolio manager with the Al Frank Fund and a long-time believer in investing in low-priced, out-of-favor stocks.

Two stocks to focus on from the interview are Rowan Companies Inc (NYSE: RDC) and Tsakos Energy Navigation Limited (NYSE: TNP). Many energy stocks have consolidated during the past year and rallied nicely since the beginning of 2007. The big issues with small- to mid-cap energy stocks in the energy sector are that they have been printing money and are under-leveraged. Many top energy company executives entered the business in the boom period of the late seventies, only to see their businesses completely collapse for some 20 years. The industry really did not begin an upswing until the early part of this decade.

This fear derived from 20 tough years has led to very conservative balance sheet management. However, this could possibly begin to change. With enormous cash flows and oil and natural gas prices meaningfully above the cost to get out of ground, these companies can lock in a lot of profit by signing long-term contracts. This could provide some of these companies the opportunity to issue some big dividends or be acquired by private equity. Rowan and Tsakos are two companies that fall into this camp.